Let’s Go Niching: A list of the Tales series’ best characters

Part one of two

We each remember our favourite role-playing protagonists for a variety of personal reasons.

Perhaps it was group chemistry that played a significant part in shaping fond memories of a certain character. Maybe it was their character arc, which we also experienced over the course of multiple hours, that we grew to love while rooting for a satisfying outcome. Or maybe our reasons stem from the most simple of explanations – combat prowess.

In most Japanese role-playing games – or more specifically, the Tales series – it’s the combination of these so-called traits that often warrant a player’s verdict between liking a character and quitting the entire experience all together.

A finely tuned gameplay system salvages some of the initial negativity towards members of a story’s cast, but the tale will be all for nothing if either a scenario writer (or voice actor) fails to hit that critical human element.

Through the Tales’ series Western releases, we’ve seen a number of these characters share the small screen and remember them in spite of their ups, downs, good times and bad.

This list (the first of two) will break down my top picks for favourite major characters as encountered in all of the series’ Western releases thus far.

5. Claus/Klarth F. Lester from Tales of Phantasia

Claus (or Klarth) is a summoner who’s arrogant, stubborn, and often very blunt about his opinions. He holds no shame – oogling women at every opportunity – and grows into a formidable magic user late in the adventure.

From its cast of characters that reads like a guide to anime tropes, Claus (or Klarth) stuck out as being the last person you’d expect to joining a ragtag group of heroes on a quest to save time and space.

Yes, he can be a d*** at times but at least the guy means well, which is commendable.

4. Reid Hershel from Tales of Eternia/Destiny II

Reid will be remembered as Eternia’s savoir but portions of his humble beginnings were all-too familiar. Insisting on taking things easy, Reid was never fond of going out and seizing the world or getting himself involved in issues that never concerned him (much like myself during misguided years).

Unlike Reid, I haven’t mastered any Aurora’s lately, but I can speak for a childhood friend who helped me gain perspective and much-needed clarity during times of personal chaos and strife.

3. Kratos Aurion from Tales of Symphonia

Sometime before Sony introduced us to this guy and effectively murdered the Greek pantheon, there was another Kratosgods of Olympus.

This Kratos was voiced by Cam Clarke and I will always recall him for several reasons.

First, being an ungodly fighter, he’s both a very capable healer and frontline attacker. He’s also a father, who ultimately meant well for his son despite the tragic circumstances explored in his backstory. And finally, said backstory.

“Could it get any worse?” I asked myself as that fateful encounter over a cliff played out. Gotta hand it to the guy for not taking the coward’s way out after the fact.

I mean, having lost everything it would have been very easy for a character birthed from anime drama to jump off the same cliff and meet a similarly tragic end – just not Kratos.

Spoilers have been omitted (and shame on you for being a Tales fan and not having played Symphonia) but I will say that every time I think back to that “I am your father” sequence from Symphonia, I can’t help but is still feel a little bit of the misty eyes coming on.

I’m sure some of the emotional punch of him losing a wife, son, and family pet must have been lost in the English dub, but I will give Mr. Clarke for working with what he had and pulling it off admirably.

2. Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia

Here’s a character that we don’t see too often, especially in a series that’s crafted countless tales of teamwork and the power of friendship.

Yuri’s a lone wolf and my personal pick for the series’ best male lead. Why?

Because unlike previous protagonists, Yuri doesn’t spend the better half of his character arc in “coming of age” mode. He comes into the story already having experience as a royal knight as well as valid reasons for leaving that position behind and insisting on living the life of a JRPG-equivalent of Robin Hood.

What also sets him apart from the rest of the guys on the list is that his canine companion uses a pipe as both a weapon and a chew toy. Not only that, but if you happen to cross the guy – he will outright murder you.

For a Tales game, that’s unique.

1. Milla Maxwell

Ah Milla, she’s only one side to Tales of Xillia’s story and, quite frankly, the better of the two.

Not only is she the human embodiment of four elemental spirits she’s also the kind of tsundere gall that would choose to crawl while paralyzed if only it meant reaching her goal.

She’s the type of strong character that I think Bridget Hoffman’s (KOS-MOS and others) voice-over work would suit wonderfully (though the actress Namco Bandai went with – Minae Noj – works wonderfully as well.)

She also holds the honour of being the first magic user found in a Tales game that I consciously decided to control from beginning to end.